WA nurses accept 14 per cent pay rise

NURSES have accepted an in-principle offer of a 14 per cent pay increase over three years from the West Australian government, putting an end to bed closures and further strike action.

But under the agreement, there will be no changes to their work conditions.

The Australian Nurses Federation (ANF) had been threatening to go on strike for 24 hours if the state government did not offer them a 20 per cent pay increase over three years by Monday.

But union state secretary Mark Olson told AAP the ANF had only increased that demand from 12.75 per cent out of frustration at the lack of response from the state government.

The ANF had voted on Friday to keep one in five beds closed at hospitals over the weekend and to wait until Monday to decide if it should take industrial action.

This was despite the Industrial Relations Commission ordering that they cease their work bans or risk patient safety.

Premier Colin Barnett said on Sunday he had finally struck an in-principle agreement with the ANF to cease bed closures, not to strike on Monday and accept the conditional offer.

The proposed 14 per cent increase involves a five per cent increase from July 1 this year followed by a four per cent increase in 2014 and another five per cent increase in 2015.

But no official agreement can be signed until after the March 9 election because the government is still in caretaker mode.

Earlier, Labor leader Mark McGowan said he had sent the premier a letter explaining that any agreement made with the nurses would be supported by the opposition and implemented if they won the election.

Mr Barnett said he had not seen the letter but had been advised by the chief medical officer and heads of emergency departments that industrial action would place lives at risk, which was why he had to push for an in-principle agreement.

The premier denied he had caved in to pressure from the union because the election was less than two weeks away and said it should not encourage other unions to carry out similar action close to an election.

Mr Olson told AAP he was relieved to finally have the matter agreed on but was disappointed that it had taken so long to reach this point when the deal could have been struck a week ago when the first bed was closed.

"I think it's due to the determination, courage and solidarity of the nurses that we have reached this point," he said.

"The public has always supported us from day one and the premier knew that."

Mr McGowan issued a statement after the announcement was made and said while he welcomed the nurses decision to cease industrial action, the process adopted by Mr Barnett had been abysmal and had forced the saga to drag on unnecessarily.

"We will be seeking a briefing from the director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet to establish whether a deal was struck on behalf of the Liberal party or on behalf of the people of Western Australia and whether the government has acted in accordance with the caretaker conventions," he said.

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